The invention relates generally to the field of systems and methods for providing information from one or more works to one or more remote locations in a form that is readily accessible to
Complex information is used in a number of fields. Heretofore, such information has been provided printed in book form. This can result in a number of problems, particular when a user may wish to access information in a number of books concurrently. Typically, each work is indexing separately, and cross-referencing as among a number of works can typically be difficult, particularly when one needs to use information on-site. In addition, it is often difficult to ensure that the information is satisfactorily maintained in updated form
Although information from individual works can often be accessed in electronic form, such as through a personal computer or laptop computer, typically such a computer are difficult to carry and use, and are also relatively expensive. In addition, although updating information as maintained on a computer may be easier than if the information is simply maintained in book (printed) form, such updates typically require a network administrator to ensure that the information has been provided to a particular computer in a timely basis.
The invention provides a new and improved system and method for supplying and updating information from one or more works to one or more remote user devices in a readily accessible form, and remote user device for use therein.
In brief summary, the invention provides an information supply and update system including a base subsystem and one or more remote user devices. The remote user devices are conveniently handheld devices such as personal digital assitants, cellular telephones, smart phones, paging devices and the like that can receive, store and process information that they receive from the base subsystem. The base subsystem is configured to receive structured information directed to one or more topics, each topic including one or more sections, compress the information topic by typic, and provide the compressed topic information to the remote user devices. The remote user devices are configured receive and store the compressed topic information from the base subsystem. A user""s remote user device is further configured to, in response to a request from a user identifying a particular section, enable the information from the section to be displayed on a display. The display is further configured to display section identification indicia, such as section buttons, which the user can actuate, with the user""s remote user device enabling the section associated with the actuated section button to be displayed, thereby allowing for easy navigation through the section.
Additional features of embodiments of the invention include the fact that the remote user devices also include a user input through which a user can also enter information into the remote user device which can be stored thereon and/or transmitted to the base subsystem for storage. The information input by a user can be associated with a topic as an annotation and stored for later display at the user""s request when, for example, the topic associated with the annotation is being displayed. In addition, the information provided by the base subsystem to a remote user device can be provided at the base station""s own instance, or at the request of the remote user device, and can include updates of previously-provided information as well as other information, including information retrieved over, for example, a network connected thereto as the result of a search. Furthermore, the remote user device is provided with an interface which permit information from selected topic or sections thereof to be printed, and to be facsimileed, Emailed or otherwise transferred to another location.
Further features of embodiments of the invention include the fact that information from different works can be cross-referenced, using indices generated for each work, so that, when a topic from one work is being displayed, the user can determine whether another work has topics that may be related thereto and, if so, readily access the related works using the cross references. In addition, a work can include xe2x80x9cpermeable content,xe2x80x9d that, when actuated by a user, the user providing values for input parameters as necessary, can enable the remote user device to process a target program using the parameter values as provided to generate an output that can be displayed; the permeable content can take the form of, for example, and equation that is processed in relation to input values to generate one or more output value that can be provided to the operator. This will simplify solving an equation contained in a work for certain input values as provided by the user, without requiring the user to try to utilize the equation elsewhere.
In one embodiment, in which a remote user device is used by a physician, information entereed by a physician can also include patient information, including, for example, information as to symptoms, diagnoses, and treatment regimens, including prescrptions for pharmaceutical products. Some or all of this information can be stored on the remote user device, and also transmitted to the base subsystem for storage thereon. In addition, the base subsystem can forward the prescription information to a pharmacy at which the prescription can be filled. The prescription information can also be printed locally, enabled by the remote user device. In both cases, the prescription information can include a bar code representing the prescription information, which can be scanned by a bar code reader at the pharmacy.